Goal tending options for next season

Okay we all love Marty for what he's done for this organization. Maybe the injury he got isn't fully healed and he knows his time in the NHL is limited so he decided to play and next year he'll come back strong again. Moose just isn't a starter. All fantasies aside, let's take a look at what options we have for goal tending next year.

I really wish Lou had gone hard for Ben Bishop but it's too late to worry about that.

In the system

Marty Brodeur - Might be time to hang em up. If anything he can't start the majority of the games anymore. Could end up surprising everyone though and catch fire in what will probably be his last year.

Johan Hedberg - Love ya Moose. Personally I think it's time to hang em up. Maybe he can be a back up to a back up. Or maybe he can stay on as a goalie coach and help Terrerri.

Keith Kinkaid - Looks like he might be ready next year. Is he ready enough to give us a winning season though? Maybe if he splits time with Marty or another starter.

Scott Wedgewood - Probably won't be ready yet.

Maxime Clermont - Probably won't be ready yet.

Trade options

Personally I don't think the Devils have the assets to spare to land a good goalie via trade unless Lou can work his magic. I'd prefer he doesn't use any 1st or 2nd round picks as we have a future to worry about. Maybe he can offer up Josefson, Tedenby, and one of our defensive prospects with a 3rd or something.

Some of the potential trade options:

Johnathon Bernier (LA) - $1,250,00/RFA 2013

Ryan Miller (Buff)- $6,250,000/UFA 2014

Roberto Luongo (Van) - $5,333,333/UFA 2022

Cory Schneider (Van) - $4,000,000/UFA 2015

Jaroslav Halak (Stl) - $3,750,000/UFA 2014

Bernier has been rumored to be a target for NJ. LA has Quick and it looks like they're going to stick with him. Probably our best trade option.

Miller has been rumored to be on the block this year. But do we really want him?

We all know the situation in Vancouver. We don't know which one will be dealt. I'm sure they'd like out of that Luongo contract but who's willing to take that one on? Maybe he gets bought out. Maybe they're stuck dealing Schneider.

Stl has 3 potential starters and it's rumored Halak could be dealt.

Free Agency

Free agency might be the best option for NJ as they should have cap space to spare (as long a s Lou doesn't overpay for Clarkson) and they won't have to give up any key assets. Plus if our prospects are looking good he only has to sign a UFA to a short term to give them time to get acclimated.

2013 Goal tending UFA's (and their age) [I'm just going to leave off anyone over the age of 35]:

Chad Johnson (26)

Ray Emery (30)

Anton Khudobin (26)

Jimmy Howard (29) [rumored to be on the verge of signing an extension with Det]

Jason Labarbera (33)

Mike Smith (31)

I've probably missed a could of potential options. I can add them to the OP if need be.

I think you gotta think stopgap if there's going to be a new face here next season. I think the Devils want to give one or more of their kids a legit shot by 2014-15.

Unless Marty REALLY falters down the stretch here, I think he's coming back in 2013-14. He's under contract, and I don't Lou or anyone else within the Devils' organization is going to tell him it's over...Marty will get to decide that for himself until it gets really ugly. Some may resent Marty for that, but as I've said in other threads, Marty is one of those truly special cases that his organization doesn't want to do wrong by him or come off as being disrespectful. And this is how it tends to go with the long-time, all-time greats...part of what makes them great is they never give up on themselves.

Unfortunately, the reality of this is that it makes this thread kind of moot...I think Marty is pretty much a lock to be back, and Hedberg will probably get one last shot...I think it's going to be status quo, as far as the goalies go.

Edited by Colorado Rockies 1976, 11 April 2013 - 12:46 PM.

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Even when Marty comes back maybe Larry should put Clemmensen to be on the goal during the shootouts.Can the coach do that ? Switch the goalies 5 seconds to go in overtime? - Most priceless quote ever posted on a message board.

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It's easy to support a great player when he's playing at his very best. It takes a true fan to support that same player during those rare moments and stretches when he's not. Babe Ruth went 0-4 some games, and sometimes Wayne Gretzky was held pointless. There may be such a thing as greatness, but no such thing as absolute perfection every single night.

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First he is a starter second if hedberg stays for next season and we DON'T trade for a goalie we have no other choice we can't throw a young dude in their by himself. Unless hedberg is gone this season we need to trade for berneir

Kinkaid does not look to be ready. I hoped for a better 2nd season out of him but it looks like barring a massive improvement he'll be at best an NHL backup.

Someone will overpay for Bernier, I hope that's not the Devils.

Boston probably does not have the money to keep Khudobin, so that would be an option, but I didn't realize he was 5'11" - that's a major sticking point.

I hope they buy out Hedberg, they got 2 very good years and 1 bad year out of him, that's pretty great when you consider how bad he was elsewhere

I wouldn't mind taking a look at Anders Lindback, Tampa should be interested in ditching him, but I forgot they paid 3 draft picks for him, so maybe I should scratch that.

Everyone seems to be of the opinion nowadays that you have to be 6'5" to be an NHL goalie now. If you can play the game well then the height shouldn't be an issue and IMO Khudobin plays a good style. He challenges well and cuts down angles. Is that going to make him more vulnerable to tips? Maybe, but honestly it's really not very different from how Marty plays, with the exception that he's 14 years younger and still has good lateral mobility.

Everyone seems to be of the opinion nowadays that you have to be 6'5" to be an NHL goalie now. If you can play the game well then the height shouldn't be an issue and IMO Khudobin plays a good style. He challenges well and cuts down angles. Is that going to make him more vulnerable to tips? Maybe, but honestly it's really not very different from how Marty plays, with the exception that he's 14 years younger and still has good lateral mobility.

Just so tired of seeing tip goals go in on us and not in on goaltenders playing us.

Marty is as proud a player as Lou is a GM. They will continue on until they're incapable. With that said, Marty will likely start for the next two seasons and and then retire. By that time, Wedgewood should be ok to take over. The bigger concern I have is Lou sticking with the status quo, which i'm betting the farm on him doing this offseason despite the mess this year.

Marty is as proud a player as Lou is a GM. They will continue on until they're incapable. With that said, Marty will likely start for the next two seasons and and then retire. By that time, Wedgewood should be ok to take over. The bigger concern I have is Lou sticking with the status quo, which i'm betting the farm on him doing this offseason despite the mess this year.

Ok, you're right Lou just sat on tons of cap space this year for no reason. We won't sign anybody and we'll have the lowest cap payroll of any team. That sounds like it's gonna happen, right?

I agree that it really should be Moose's last year this year. Buyout if necessary.

And I don't really think Lou is going to trade for a goalie (much as I wish he would). I honestly think the most likely scenario is him trying some random goalie playing in Europe or something, someone off everyone's radar. Now of course this doesn't mean this will be a good goalie (Pikkarainen, Pesonen, etc.), but it just seems like more of a Lou move than throwing money at Bernier or Khudobin (though maybe, because of Subban). I don't have any idea who that would be but who knows, maybe Lou does.

Marty is as proud a player as Lou is a GM. They will continue on until they're incapable. With that said, Marty will likely start for the next two seasons and and then retire. By that time, Wedgewood should be ok to take over. The bigger concern I have is Lou sticking with the status quo, which i'm betting the farm on him doing this offseason despite the mess this year.

Marty is not playing beyond next season. He almost retired twice already the last two yrs. And if he is the starter a big chunk of the time we may be in big trouble

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